Basile shines with 30 points in season, Tech debut

By Sam Alves

Staff Writer

November 7, 2022

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech has big shoes to fill with the departure of Keve Aluma, who led the Hokies with 15.8 points per game last season.

Enter: Wright State graduate transfer Grant Basile.

Raised in the Milwaukee suburbs, Basile nearly doubled Aluma’s average, pacing the Hokies with 30 points in their first game of the season — and their first since last year’s first-round loss in the NCAA tournament in the Cream City — a 95-57 blowout over Delaware State on Monday night in Cassell Coliseum.

Basile found a home behind the 3-point arc, knocking down six of nine 3-point attempts, operating well on deep balls in transition and off the pick-and-pop. The 6-foot-9 forward was efficient inside the arc, too, finishing 12-for-16 from the floor with 10 boards to secure his first double-double for the maroon and orange.

“I think that’s a strong suit of mine — versatility,” Basile told reporters after the game. “That’s something that I’ve been solid on throughout my career. I think just going forward, especially when we get Justyn [Mutts] back, we’ll put up some lineups that will be tough to guard.”

Mutts was inactive, serving a NCAA-mandated, one-game suspension to start the season for playing in a non-NCAA certified event going through the pre-NBA draft process. His absence left the Hokies more exposed on the defensive end, which was the focus of head coach Mike Young after the game despite his team’s strong offensive output.

“I’m mashing my teeth and I’m mad as a hornet at the half,” Young said. "…I don’t think we guarded very well….Then it dawned on me: We’re playing without, I think, the best defensive player in the ACC, so there you go. He [Mutts] just covers up so many things with his communication and vision and basketball IQ.”

So despite Basile’s offensive explosion against the Hornets, Young was quick to note Basile’s room for growth on the defensive end and the big man’s team-high four turnovers.

“[Basile] shot it well,” Young started. “He played a good ball game. Take nothing away from him. He’s gonna have to guard better…He doesn’t have the right look yet, defensively.

“He’s capable and we’ll get him there. He’s conscientious. Good ball game. He’s got a long way to go here defensively.”

Though the Hokies missed Mutts’ defensive presence, his absence allowed junior center Lynn Kidd to start. Kidd grabbed 10 boards (four offensive) as well and made his presence felt around the basket offensively, slamming home multiple dunks in 23 minutes of action.

“I think he [Kidd] had a little heart-to-heart with himself,” Young started, explaining Kidd’s development after playing sparingly last season. “...I can’t tell you how serious he was throughout the summer. Every day. Every single day with David Jackson in the weight room. He’s in the office every Monday through Friday every afternoon watching film. He works out religiously, continuously.

“...He’s ready to go. He’s chomping at the bit. He’s earned everything he’s given. Nobody’s given him anything. He’s earned it. He’s worked his tail off. Couple that with…he’s a big-league athlete. He’s strong as an ox. Makings of a good basketball player, and I couldn't be happier for him.”

Ditto for starting point guard Sean Pedulla, whose friendship with Kidd has translated into chemistry on the court as well. The sophomore guard found Kidd on a no-look feed for a dunk in the first half, one of his eight assists on the night.

“Going back to last year and last summer, Lynn and I have always been on the same practice squad and this summer we were playing together, so we have really good chemistry,” Pedulla explained. “I kind of looked at him and drove downhill. He knew I was going to pass to him. We just have a chemistry that is really good.”

While Tech’s passing was on point in the first half, when they turned the ball over just once, Young’s squad had nine turnovers in the second half. But all in all, Young said those miscues are lower on his list of concerns with stiffer competition ahead; Pedulla attributed the sloppiness to complacency with such a large second-half lead.

Such a lead was expected for the defending ACC Champions, who handled business — and the ball, for the most part — to start a new season.